and Ortelius (as their letters vnto me do testifie) were many yeeres very
inquisitiue, and could not for all that attaine vnto them; and sithens they
haue bene of so great accompt with those two famous Cosmographers, that
according to some fragments of them they haue described in their Mappes a
great part of those Northeastern Regions; sith also that these two
relations containe in some respect more exact history of those vnknowen
parts, then all the ancient and newe writers that euer I could set mine
eyes on; I thought it good if the translation should chance to swerue in
ought from the originals (both for the preseruation of the originals
themselues, and the satisfying of the Reader) to put them downe word for
word in that homely stile wherein they were first penned. And for these two
rare iewels, as likewise for many other extraordinary courtesies, I must
here acknowledge my selfe most deepely bounded vnto the right reuerend,
graue and learned Prelate, my very good lord the Bishop of Chichester, and
L. high Almner vnto her Maiestie; by whose friendship and meanes I had free
accesse vnto the right honor my L. Lumley his stately library, and was
permitted to copy out of ancient manuscripts, these two iournals and some
others also.

After these Friers (thought not in the next place) foloweth a testimonie of
Gerardus Mercator, and another of M. Dee, concerning one Nicholas de Linna
an English Franciscan Frier.

Then succeedeth the long iourney of Henry Earle of Derbie, and afterward
king of England into Prussia & Lithuania, with a briefe remembrance of his
valiant exploits against the Infidels there; as namely, that with the help
of certaine his Associates, he vanquished the king of Letto his armie, put
the sayd king to flight, tooke and slew diuers of his captains, aduanced
his English colours vpon the wall of Vilna, & made the citie it selfe to
yeeld. Then mention is made also of Tho. of Woodstock his trauel into